Whoo!!...heavy rough weekend of racing!!

The initial plan was to race Barberton ultra marathon on the Saturday.., but the plan changed! The guys from www.xcosa.co.za had their first race at fountains. With XC being my main focus, I have to make use of every opportunity to race it! The other major decisive factor was the opportunity for me to race against Burry Stander, testing myself against one of the best in the world. xcosa.co.za had a R10 000 prize up for the winner as well. I'm sure this series will only go from strength to strength! Great initiative.     

I had a few upgrades on the bike before the race. Fitted Magura MT8 brakes, the best! A few new xx parts and I chucked the front dérailleur., small chainring and shifter for this race! Not much climbing. I can still drop about 600g on the bike...waiting for a set of wheels and cranks.

Anyway..,the race was fun!! and I had a super cool home crowd!! Thanks mense! Very special!! Off the start line into the first lap I was sitting comfortably in 4th position. In the second lap I got a bit over exited and took the lead. Later on Burry and I got away and this was pretty much the situation until the final 300m.

Up the last drag we had a slight tussle for the single track and Burry got in first...now after the race I think of how I should have handled the final sprint..but it's all just experience...at least I learnt something!

After the race it was my sister's 21st party...not allowed to mis this! I managed to get into bed at about 23:30. Woke up at 4:30am to be in time for my flight to Cape Town for the first WP XC race in Durbanville on the Slammer track at Willowbridge mall.
  
I was tired!! Didn’t focus 100% when I rebuilt my bike out of the box. In the race I had to stop a few times to make unnecessary adjustments. On the second last lap Renay Groustra had about a 2min lead on me, but fortunately I managed to close the gap before the finish and won the race! Yeah!!!

Team Contego will be fueled by USN and transported by Budget car rentals. Confirmed! Thanks Line Griffiths! We love you!

Now the real racing begins! Hectic 2 months ahead! FOCUS...and believe! Lets do this!!

My first road race went pretty well...I didn’t crash..and I think I managed to get a top 10 position, will confirm later! I did have a quick crash course in road racing from my more experienced team mates on the way to the start. I just have to learn to ride smarter...,but no worries..,I had nothing to lose and it was great training. Recorded a new max power and new max heart rate! Saweet!

Just a few names in the race: Darren Lill ,Johann Rabie ,Ian McLeod ,Hanco Kachelhoffer ,Herman Fouché ,Christoph Sauser ,Jaco Venter, David Garett ,Renay Groustra ,Charles Keey....I know I'm missing a few..

I must say that the first 10km was pretty nerve wrecking for me. I tried to stay on the outsides of the bunch..otherwise if I got boxed in I was ready to bunny hop over anyone crashing in front of me!

On the second climb I managed to move right to the front of the race and all in perfect timing. SA road champ Darren Lill launched his first attack. I knew if he made a move I had to respond, so I chased after him and soon I was part of a 16 man break...full Bonitas team present.

Up the steep concrete climb at Simons Town (excuse if I get some names wrong...still learning my way around the mountain- at some stage I had no idea where we were) a spoke in my rear wheel snapped and caused havoc. I had to stop and just give it a twist around the next spoke. At this time the racing was hot on fire.., fortunately managed to ride back to the chasing bunch! Hard effort. Oh, at this time 2 Bonitas riders had a gap of about 2min.

Hard chasing from here on and a few efforts from my side. It was a hill top finish up Ou Kaapse weg. You push yourself over the limit in these road races...I really enjoyed the race! Tomorrow I fly back to PTA for the week and then a XC race at Fountains on the Saturday then my sister's 21st and fly back Sunday morning just in time for a XC race on the CWC track! Fun fun fun!! Lets do this!!

Ons slaap in die aand! Baai!!

Time:2:12:40
Avg Speed:36.3 km/h
Max Speed:75.6 km/h
Elevation Gain:1,199 m
Elevation Loss:923 m
MinElevation:79 m
MaxElevation:384 m
Heart RateAvg HR:173 bpm
Max HR:200 bpm
Avg Power:371 W
Max Power:1,519 W
Avg Temperature:23.5 °C
Min Temperature:22.0 °C
Max Temperature:25.0 °C

I've been eating dirt on this track for the whole week! finally got a lap done...
Think I'll get it under 9min in that first week of Feb...my bike will be at least a kilogram lighter and berms are being erected on some of the high speed corners...

Distance:3.45 km
Time:9:09
Avg Speed:22.4 km/h
Elevation Gain:83 m
Calories:120 CAvg 
Temperature:25.0 °C
Moving Speed:22.5 km/h
Max Speed:44.0 km/h
Elevation Gain:83 m
Elevation Loss:86 m
MinElevation:294 m
MaxElevation:350 m
Heart RateAvg HR:186 bpm
Max HR:194 bpm
Temperature:25.0 °C

My 2012 season kicked of with this 120 km epic 5 hour race...

I'd be lying if I said I was on the start line for a training ride...I was there to win!! In-between all the festivities and temptations during everyones holiday season , my training went super well and I felt like a beast! unfortunately a week before the race I picked up a virus floating around in our area and had to take a few days off the bike...frustration!! I recovered in time for the race, so thats no excuse, just missed out on a few long training sessions.

This was probably the most relaxed I've ever been on a start line. maybe too relaxed...I was off the lead bunch in the first 5km..,but still.. huge display of calmness from my side. Eventually I joined the lead group.

Just before the halfway mark the race standings were as follow: Renay Groustra had about a 3min lead followed my Matthys Beukes ,I had matthys in sight! going down the attakwas valley after the king of mountains climb I knew I had to be careful...the previous year I had a spectacular crash here! very very rough downhill. Despite my cautiousness I pinched my back tyre on the bead! Disappointment as I heard that awful hissing sound! I stopped about 3 times, bombing and tilting the wheel to get the sealant near the hole. Only Sludge could seal the hole at that specific spot.... 

During the last 25km we were a bunch of 4 riders chasing down Matthys, who had taken over the lead from Renay. Things got shattered on the last climb. Matthys won followed by Charles keey then myself and Neil Mc Donnald having a dash for 3rd!
I got 3rd...


    

Over the last few weeks I've come to realize that I've missed a few learning curves and that I don't really know how to go about certain things in life...major soul search going on!! whoa!!! going totally off topic now..,anyway,,my next race will be the Cape Cobra road race! This will be my first road race!! my goal: finish in one piece!

Thank you and goodbye!!

Distance:117.26 km
Time:5:17:52
Avg Speed:22.1 km/h
Elevation Gain:2,388 m
Calories:4,347 C
Avg Temperature:21.7 °C
Max Speed:75.0 km/h